


Surviving and Thriving

by BSBLover2538



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-26 20:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16688152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BSBLover2538/pseuds/BSBLover2538
Summary: Jillian was facing the toughest battle of her life. Will her wish to meet the Backstreet Boys be granted, and will she ever see them again afterwards?





	Surviving and Thriving

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time putting an OC in my stories. I love how this one came out, and I can't wait to put her in more of my stories as time goes on. Thank you for all the love on my last story, and I hope you all continue sticking around to read my upcoming ones. Still have a few more banked, and they will all be put up. I am also actively still writing, and have lots of time coming up, so I will not be going away anytime soon. Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers who celebrate, and I will post another story on Saturday :)

Cancer comes in many forms, and affects millions of people every year. The most heartbreaking cases are when it happens to children. They have had their lives cut short by this ravaging, relentless disease. Many hoped that a cure would soon be found, but research was slow going, and it would be years before any progress was made. This is one girl’s journey through cancer and getting to meet her favorite vocal group.

In Monmouth Medical Center’s pediatric ward, a teenage girl was lying in bed, feeling extremely annoyed. She was feeling fine, but knew she couldn’t leave her bed. Jillian had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma in her left leg, and the only way to get rid of the cancer, was to have her leg amputated. She had had doctors and nurses in and out of her room all day, getting her prepped for surgery. 

“How much longer is this going to take?” Jillian whined to her favorite nurse, Sam. 

“At least another hour, sorry love” Sam told the moody teenager, who frowned and stared out the window, wishing she was anywhere else right now. 

Doctors had given her a 75% chance of survival with the amputation, which were better odds than if she had decided to keep her leg. Jillian’s parents had consulted with her, and let her make the decision, because she was sixteen years old already, and they knew that she had been in and out of the hospital her entire life so far. She decided to amputate, which honestly relieved her parents.

Two days earlier...

“Hey mom and dad!” Jillian hugged her parents as they entered her room, after giving her time to think. Her mom asked if she had made a decision yet. 

“Yes, I am going to go through with the amputation. I just want this cancer gone, and to move on with my life” Jillian emphatically told her parents. 

“That is the best decision I think you could have made, my Jilly bean” her dad came over and gave her a hug, and the three waited for Jillian’s doctors to come back so they could tell them their decision. 

Jillian’s doctor came in for the final time, and went over the procedure. Her parents signed the paperwork, and Jillian said goodbye to her parents for several hours. Eight hours later, Jillian woke up in severe pain. She couldn’t talk well from having been intubated for the surgery, but vocalized enough to get a nurse’s attention. 

“Pain, meds, please” Jillian croaked, and the nurse went to get her surgeon. 

“Hey Jillian, the surgery was successful and I will get your meds ordered right now. You should have some relief soon” her surgeon, Dr. Cohen, told his star patient. Jillian nodded her head, and dozed back off. 

She soon found herself back in her room, with her parents next to her. All Jillian wanted to do was sleep, but nurses kept coming in and waking her. 

“What can a girl do around here to get some sleep?” Jillian snapped finally after the fourth interruption. 

“Sorry sweetheart, I just needed to adjust your leg, so that your stump doesn’t lose blood flow, and become necrotic” the nurse, Kelly, explained. 

Three days later, Jillian was feeling less hazy, and the pain had decreased. A volunteer from Make a Wish had come in and dropped off pamphlets for her and her parents to look through, and they would be back that day to get Jillian’s wish documented. She already knew what her wish would be. 

Jillian’s favorite band in the entire world was the Backstreet Boys. She had loved them for the last ten years, and had all of their albums, and posters lined her bedroom walls. She had never seen them live, and wanted the chance to meet them as well. Her wish would be to see her favorite band in concert, and to meet them backstage before the show. 

“Hi Jillian! How are you feeling today” the Make A Wish volunteer, Olivia, asked as she and her assistant, Kirsten, entered the room.

“Better today, the pain is easing, and I hope to walk on crutches soon” Jillian explained as the two got comfortable, her parents standing on either side of her bed, holding her hands. 

“Do you know what you want your wish to be yet?” Kirsten asked, as Olivia got the paperwork out to fill out. 

“Yes, I do, I’d like to go to a Backstreet Boys concert, and possibly meet them as well” Jillian squeezed her parent’s hands as she spoke. She didn’t want to get her hopes up too high, and had selected Disney World as a back-up if the concert idea didn’t pan out.  

“That’s an awesome wish, we will try our best to fulfill it, and if not, I’m sure Disney World will be an amazing trip for you and your family” Olivia spoke as she filled out Jillian’s request. 

Both Olivia and Kirsten told Jillian and her parents, it would be several weeks before they would hear anything. Jillian knew that the Boys would be starting their tour for their  _In A World Like This_  album soon, but they wouldn’t come to New Jersey for several months.  Jillian and her parents bid the two volunteers goodbye, as Jillian prepared for the rest of her cancer battle. 

After her stump healed, Jillian started undergoing chemotherapy, which was an even tougher battle than the surgery. She lost weight, her hair fell out, and she became weak. But it was working, the cancer cells in her body started dying. She had to undergo several rounds of chemo, and she clung to music, mostly the Backstreet Boys, to get her through it. She was so miserable, she had forgotten all about her wish, until her favorite nurse Sam, came in with Olivia, who had a computer with her. 

“Hey Jillian, I have a surprise for you” Olivia told the weakened girl, who just managed a smile for her. 

“Sure, what is it?” questioned the girl as she struggled to sit up, she was having a worse day than usual that day. 

Olivia loaded her computer up and found the email she had gotten an hour ago. She clicked on the attached video, and spun the computer around to face Jillian. 

“Hey Jillian, it’s the Backstreet Boys!” five voices spoke, Jillian perked right up, and her jaw dropped in shock. 

“We heard that you are fighting a tough battle, and your one wish is to meet us” AJ spoke first.

“We are so humbled to hear that, and we want to personally invite you to our concert at PNC Bank Arts Center in three months to come see us” Nick spoke, as Jillian started tearing up. 

“You will meet us backstage, and our wives, with your family of course” Howie revealed. 

“After, you and your family will have front row seats, and we will pull you up for Shape of My Heart” Brian spoke excitedly.

“We cannot wait to meet you, and we will see you soon! Love and peace from the Backstreet Boys” Kevin finished, as the screen went black. 

Jillian was so stunned, she was getting to meet her favorite band. She looked to her mom, who was crying, and asked if that really just happened. Her mom nodded her head, and Jillian burst into tears. 

She had an even more special reason to keep fighting. She wanted to meet the Boys so badly. Jillian eventually finished chemo, and went home to recover. She would have tests done right before the concert, to see if she had gone into remission. Due to the chemo, she had yet to receive her artificial limb, but she would soon after the concert. That meant she would be in a wheelchair for the concert, which upset her. 

“Will I still be able to see them?” Jillian asked Olivia, who came when she heard that Jillian was having questions about the concert. 

“Yes, you will, the arena is fully handicap accessible, and I’ll make sure the Boys’ management knows what’s going on” Olivia reassured the panicking girl, who thanked her, and after answering a few other questions, left, telling the family they would see her in three days before leaving for the concert. 

Jillian was so excited. It was now three days later, and she would be meeting her favorite band in a few hours. She had just gotten word from her doctors yesterday that her scans were all clean, and they had declared that she was in remission. Nothing could bring her down today. 

“Mom, are we leaving soon?” Jillian yelled as she was getting ready. Make a Wish had sent over some merch they had received from the Boys’ management for her to wear tonight. 

“Yes, in about half an hour” her mom stated, as she came in the room to help her daughter out. 

Half an hour later, a limo showed up to take Jillian and her parents to the concert. It was about four hours before the concert would happen, but Jillian didn’t care. She couldn’t wait to meet the Boys, and one in particular. 

Jillian had had a crush on Kevin for years, she loved his voice and was so sad when he left the group. When the guys had revealed that Kevin was coming back, Jillian wouldn’t shut up about it for days on end. 

“How much longer?” Jillian asked for the hundredth time.

“Five more minutes, Beans, please be patient” her father placated his excited daughter. 

Five minutes later, the limo pulled around to the back of the arena, where the acts went in and out to avoid the crowds. Her father got her wheelchair out of the trunk, and Jillian slid across the limo to get herself situated in the wheelchair herself. She straightened everything, and asked her father to push her. 

“Hi guys! How are you?” Olivia asked as she and Kirsten met the family outside the arena. 

“So excited, and a little nervous” Jillian admitted, as she fiddled with her hands, a nervous habit she had had for years. 

“Well, come on back, the guys are waiting to meet you” Olivia told her, as she held the door open.

Jillian’s father pushed her to where Olivia had said the Boys were. Butterflies started flying in her stomach as they got closer. Jillian stilled her hands, and a smile started blooming on her face, as a calm came over her, and excitement replaced nervousness. The door opened, and Jillian grabbed the wheels and pushed herself over the door threshold. She had her head down to focus on getting over it, and when she looked up, her jaw dropped. The five guys, with their wives, looked at the door, and smiled seeing her come in. 

“Hey Jillian! How are you?” Howie asked as he approached her wheelchair, with Leigh accompanying him. Howie gave her a hug, which was followed by Leigh, who complimented her outfit, making the guys laugh as they realized she was wearing their merch. 

“I’m good, got some good news yesterday, and I can’t wait to see the concert tonight” Jillian enthused as she thanked Leigh. 

Jillian then told Howie that she loved his solo album, and that she hadn’t realized how good of a voice he had, and was sorry for not liking him earlier. Howie’s heart broke and he reassured the morose girl that he wasn’t upset in the least. Her expression brightened as she looked around the room at everyone. 

“Oh yea, do you want to share the good news” AJ asked as he came up for a hug with Rochelle. 

Jillian told AJ that she loved his tattoos, and was proud of him for everything he had accomplished, and thanked Rochelle for being his saving grace.  His smile brightened, and she got an extra hug from him.

“The doctors told me that I’m finally in remission!” Jillian enthused, as Brian and Leighanne got their hugs. 

She held onto Brian’s hand and told him that he inspired her to keep fighting after he came back from his heart surgery. Brian’s smile widened, and he leaned down to whisper to her that she inspired him as well. 

“That’s amazing! So happy to hear that” Nick yelled, as he and Lauren approached. Jillian reached over and hugged Nick, ruffling his hair, and complimented Lauren’s outfit. Nick pouted at her, as he fixed his hair. Lauren smiled at her fiancée, and thanked Jillian for the compliment. 

Now was the moment Jillian was most nervous about, meeting Kevin and Kristin. She wasn’t jealous of Kristin in the least, and was so happy that Kevin had found his soulmate in her. She adored their kids, and thought Kevin was an amazing father. 

“Hey Jillian, Kristin and I are so happy to meet you! Congrats on the remission!” Kevin spoke softly, with his southern accent thickening. 

“Jillian, you are such a strong girl, and you have come so far in your life, and it amazes Kevin and I, what you have gone through” Kristin remarked, making Jillian look up from where she had been staring at her lap. 

“Hey Kevin and Kristin, thank you for your words” Jillian stumbled over her words, and blushed as she looked at Kevin’s face for the first time. 

Kevin had to smile as he realized that he was Jillian’s favorite of the group, which his bandmates had also noticed. 

“Does someone have a little crush on Kevy Kev here?” AJ joked. Jillian’s blush brightened more, as Rochelle hit AJ in the arm, and Kevin sent him a death glare. 

“Yea, I kind of do, sorry Howie, Nick, Brian, and AJ, but I’ve loved Kevin since I was a little girl, and I am not ashamed of it” Jillian bantered back with AJ, who smiled and nodded. 

Kevin just looked at the girl in the wheelchair in front of him. She had been through so much, but still wanted to meet him and the other guys. He had an idea, and would run it by AJ before “Shape of My Heart”, he wanted to be the one to give her the rose, by kneeling in front of her. He knew that would make her life. 

“So, what’s your favorite album, and top five songs by us” Howie questioned as they all got comfortable. 

“My favorite album is probably Never Gone, followed by Millennium and Black and Blue. I never got your first two international albums, so I don’t know them as well” Jillian revealed, as she kept hold of Kristin’s, and Kevin’s hand, as they had both sat next to her, and offered her support. 

“My top five songs are Drowning, Crawling Back To You, If I Knew Then, How Did I Fall In Love With You, and Show me the Meaning of Being Lonely” Jillian stated, as the Boys’ ears perked up hearing uncommon songs in her list. 

“That’s quite a range you have there, and I love that they are not our common songs that we always do” Brian remarked. 

“Yea I love those as well, but they are not my top played. I also have all of your solo stuff that you guys have done, and I love listening to that as well”, as Brian, Nick, and Howie beamed. Jillian sent a significant look to Kevin and AJ, who blushed, as they knew they hadn’t released solo stuff. 

Jillian and the boys and their wives had an easy conversation for about an hour, before the Boys had to start getting ready for soundcheck, and the concert itself. They each hugged Jillian, and promised to see her soon. 

The guys met afterward, and all were in awe of Jillian. They wanted her to have all of their merch, and sent one of the assistants to get copies of the two international albums they had done, so she could have them. They quickly got a very large package of merch to give Jillian, which they gave to Olivia to give to her, adding some signed and personalized stuff as well.  Kevin met with AJ and discussed his plan, which AJ completely agreed with, still feeling badly about teasing Jillian earlier. 

Two hours later, the concert started, and Jillian had a perfect view. The guys were amazing, and kept coming over to hold her hand, or sing to her. Jillian didn’t think this night could get any better than it had, but it was about to anyway. 

“Baby please try to forgive me, Stay here don’t put out the glow...” Jillian heard the familiar notes of Shape of My Heart start to play, and she got very excited. 

Near the end of the song, an assistant came over and wheeled her to the edge of the stage, and another assistant helped lift her chair onto the stage. AJ came over and gave her his rose, and wheeled her to the center of where the guys were still singing the song. 

“Now let me show you the shape of....Show you the shape of my heart” Kevin finished the song, kneeling in front of Jillian’s wheelchair, and holding out his rose. She was so stunned she just blushed, and reached out for a hug. 

“Surprise Jillian! I met with AJ, and he agreed to let me do this for you tonight!” Kevin whispered in her ear, as he pulled away. The other four gave her a hug, as Kevin introduced her to the crowd, who all roared their approval, after hearing her story. 

“Thank you, AJ, I forgive you for earlier” Jillian whispered in AJ’s ear as she hugged him. He released her from the hug, and beamed at her.

Kevin grabbed her wheelchair, and wheeled her back to the edge of the stage. The same assistants got her back down to the ground, and Jillian turned and beamed at Kevin, who had Howie behind him, and both brightly smiled at her. She mouthed “Thank you” and they both winked and nodded. 

Jillian went back to her spot, after being congratulated by various fans, and enjoyed the rest of the concert. As the final notes of “Everybody” played, she started tearing up, which her mom noticed. 

“Everything alright, baby girl?” her mom asked concerned.

“Yea mom, this has been the best night of my life, and thank you for coming with me!” Jillian smiled through her happy tears. 

They made their way back to the limo, where Olivia was waiting, with a very large package next to her. Jillian looked at her questioningly, and Olivia beamed at the teenager, who looked exhilarated and exhausted all at the same time. 

“This package has all the merchandise that the guys sell, plus copies of all of their albums, and signed stuff as well. They did it after meeting you, and wanted me to give it to you before you left” Olivia explained, as Jillian burst into tears for the last time that day. 

Her dad grabbed the package, as the three of them settled back into the limo for their drive home. Jillian quickly fell asleep, she was exhausted. Her parents woke her up, and got her settled in bed, and she dreamt all about meeting the Boys. 

The next day she went through all the merch, and decorated her room completely. She was so excited, and knew she would never forget the previous night. Jillian continued to recover from her cancer journey, and eventually received her artificial limb, which took some getting used to. Jillian knew she would eventually see the Boys in concert again, and couldn’t wait for that day to come.

Four years later....

“I can’t believe we are in Vegas to see the Boys!” Jillian enthused to her best friend, as they got ready to go to Planet Hollywood for the Boys’ show. Her best friend shook her head, and had to laugh at Jillian’s enthusiasm. 

Jillian had been cancer free for the past four years, and had gone on to go to college, where she was studying biology, to go on to become a doctor or nurse eventually. She had not seen the Boys since her Make A Wish trip, so she wondered if they would remember her. 

“Come on, let’s go!” Jillian dragged her best friend to the line that had formed outside the venue. They had gotten M&G packages, and Jillian couldn’t wait to see the Boys again. 

The line moved slowly, and they were eventually let in to the VIP lounge, where they met other fans, and got to know some other ladies. They all hit it off, due to their mutual love for the BSB Boys, and one even was at the concert Jillian was at. She was so happy to see her doing so well. 

“Ugh I am getting butterflies again” Jillian complained, as they got in line for the M&G. They were a little way back, so Jillian knew they wouldn’t see her right away. 

“Calm down, you’ll be fine, I am sure of it” her best friend calmed her neurotic friend for the millionth time that day. 

The line drew closer, and Kevin noticed Jillian first. He was stunned to say the least, she was standing tall, and looked completely different from the frail girl he had met four years earlier. He quickly pointed her out to the other four, and they were equally stunned. 

“I think they saw me” Jillian confided, as she realized Kevin was staring at her. 

“That’s okay, at least they recognized you!” her best friend enthused. 

It was now time for Jillian to see the Boys face to face for the first time in four years. Kevin grabbed her in a hug, and said that he was so happy to see her. He asked how she had been, and she revealed that she was still cancer free, and was in college to become a doctor or nurse. The Boys were amazed, and so beyond happy for her. 

“That’s so great! I am so happy to see you doing so well!” Howie beamed, as Jillian reached him. 

“Are you here with your parents again?” Brian questioned as he hugged her. 

“No, I am here for my 21st birthday with my best friend” Jillian revealed as she pointed out her best friend, who waved. 

“Happy Birthday!” all five guys exclaimed. 

AJ told her that he was so proud of her, and as Jillian reached Nick, told him that she was so happy that he had married the love of his life, and that his son was adorable. Nick beamed at her and thanked her for her words. 

They got their picture together, and AJ asked where she was sitting.

“At the front, of course! Last time spoiled me so much, that I couldn’t sit anywhere else!” Jillian stated, which sent the five into smiles, as Jillian and her friend said goodbye, and left to find their seats. 

Jillian and her best friend enjoyed the show, and the guys once again kept coming over and singing to her, and to hold her hand. She was in for one last surprise. 

Kevin got to the center of the stage, and said that he had something to tell everyone. He started telling everyone Jillian’s story, and how he and the other guys had met her four years earlier, and she had just gotten news that her cancer was in remission. The crowd politely clapped and cheered, which became raucous with Kevin’s next statements. 

He told the crowd that the same girl was here tonight, celebrating her 21st birthday, still cancer free. He then invited Jillian on the stage to get recognized. She was completely stunned, as an assistant helped her up the stairs. She walked over to Kevin, while the other four came from the back to hug her, and congratulate her.  She waved to the crowd, and thanked them all. Kevin escorted her back to her seat, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and a selfie. 

Jillian had another amazing night with her favorite band, and she again would never forget it. She would always support the guys in everything they did, and was so proud that they had been together for over twenty-five years. Howie, Brian, Kevin, AJ, and Nick had her heart, and that would never change. She would continue to see them over the years, eventually bringing her family along to the concerts and events. The Boys were always happy to see her, and she was always ecstatic to see them. She had survived the biggest battle of her life, with the Boys’ music helping, and was now thriving. 


End file.
